The littlest Potter
by NicoleLulu
Summary: Most witches and wizards think Harry Potter is an only child and so totally alone after his parents death. But that's not true. Born in secret, Harry actually has a younger sibling. With no great prophecy hanging over her head and overshadowed by her brother, what part will she play in this magical world they were suddenly thrust into by a giant?
1. Prolog

AN: Hello everybody! This is my first ever fanfiction I'm actually posting somewhere, so I hope you enjoy it. I'm currently _really _into Harry Potter again and have been toying with this FF idea for a while now. Yeah, I know, this kind of FFs have been done to death for Harry Potter, but at least it's not a Twin-Fic this time ;) (Although the first draft started with this idea :X) The first few chapters will probably be kinda short, but I hope to increase their length as I'm diving deeper into the story. Also, english is not my mother tongue (I'm German) so if you find any grammatical mistakes please tell me. I'm always open for constructive criticism, so I hope you leave a comment. So finally: enjoy!

October 31, 1981

_Lily_

They were in the middle of a war. A bloody, gruesome war; that already went on for years. They had lost people. Friends and Family. On some days she was terrified. But as she stared at the sweet face of her sleeping daughter she didn't think she could be any happier.

The wedding hadn't really been planned. They had just graduated from Hogwarts and from there went straight to enter the Order of the Pheonix. After a close encounter with Lord Voldemort, in which some of their friends sadly had died and they themselves had barely made it out alive, James had suddenly proposed to her. He had explained that from this day onwards every day could be their last. And if he had to die, he at least wanted to do it with the knowledge that Lily was his and well taken care of through his wealth she would then have access to, should she make it out alive. Under tears, because she didn't even want to THINK about loosing the love of her life, she had agreed to become his wife.

It had been an intimate affair, with only their closest friends present. James didn't have any living family members to speak of and Lily only had her sister left. She and Vernon, her brother in law, had refused to even answer the invitation letter. Lily had expected it, but it still had hurt her deeply.

The little baby girl in the crib twiched with her chubby hand in her sleep. Lily smiled and lovingly stroked the black tuft on top of her little head. She had her dads hair. They both had. But they also both had her eyes.

She hadn't wanted to bring children into this war. But not soon after the wedding she had become pregnant. So she had given birth to Harry James Potter - and immediately gotten pregnant again. She hadn't known if she should cry or laugh when she had been told that she was pregnant again, just after carrying out her son. And then they also were suddenly forced into hiding. Because now, it seemed, Lord Voldemort was after them especially. It had been difficult times. But she had taken it with stride and just barely 10 months after her brother, Willow Petunia Potter had been greeted into this world in secret. The world knew of Harry, but no one outside the order knew of Willow. And they were content in keeping it this way until the Dark Lord was finally defeated.

It had been relatively easy to name Harry. She had always liked that name and James had insisted that he was named after him also; what, apparently, was a tradition in his family. Though she got the inkling that that was only one of his ego trips, naming their first born after himself. James had not been named after his father.

It had been more difficult with Willow and so the baby had been known only as „puppy" for a few days, courtesy of Sirius. But of course she wanted a real name for her daughter. There only was one condition: it had to be a flower name, like with her and Petunia. And after days of reading books about names and testing the sound of several ones out loud, she had found the perfect name. Willow.

The flowers of the willow tree were known for their resilience, grace and flexibility. Also, the name in itself meant „peaceful or resolute". All things she wanted for her daughter. And, coincidentally, her wand was made out of willow wood also and it had never let her down. So her name was decided. Also, Petunia as her second name, because she still hadn't given up on her sister completely.

She heard the giggling of her son and the loud, deep laughing of her husband coming from the living room. Frowning she looked at the clock on the wall. It was the night of Halloween and _way _past Harrys bed time. She had hoped that James would make him ready for bed while she was nursing their daughter and putting her to sleep. But of course, he was playing around again. Oh well. Being forced to stay in the house no matter what was pretty stressing, so it was nice to hear they could still laugh so carefree. But it was high time for Harry to go to bed.

She gave Willow one last, little kiss on the forehead, lovingly whispering „Sweet dreams, precious girl" while doing so. Then she went out of the nursery to put her son to bed. Not knowing that, in less than 10 minutes, she would lose the love of her life, and her own life as well, to their mortal enemy Lord Voldemort. Trying, with her last breath, to protect her children. Leaving them behind to fend for themselves.


	2. Chapter 1: A teary goodbye

September 1st, 1991

Platform 9 3/4

Willow looked at the scarlet steam engine that would bring her brother to his new school... _Hogwarts. _A school for wizards and witches to learn magic. A school she would attend too, but next year. Hagrid had promised her that her acceptance letter was practically made already, but with only 10 years she was just too young. Next year though, she would be allowed to go. This year... would be a year without Harry.

For the first time in her life she would be separated from her older brother. From the moment she was born Harry had always been by her side, trying to protect her from everything that was bad in their life. And there was a lot. But now she would have to face it alone... at least for the next 10 months.

She felt the tears come and hurriedly shook her head. Willow would not cry until Harry was away, on his way to Hogwarts. She would say goodbye to him with a smile. So that he would not worry so much.

„Will! Are you coming?"

She whipped around to where Harry was calling her and hurriedly followed him. He wanted to get further down the train, where it wasn't so packed. Willow looked around with wonder while they walked. There were so many people here. Were they all witches and wizards? Did the kids all attend Hogwarts? If so the school was a lot bigger than she had thought.

They got to the last wagon, that also happened to be nearly empty and Harry decided that this was where he wanted to sit. He took Hedwigs cage and entered it to occupy a compartment for himself. Meanwhile, Willow tried to pick up his trunk to put it in the wagon, but... no matter how she pushed and pulled, that thing didn't move an inch. She just tried to lift it up again - crunching up her face with effort - when suddenly the weight vanished. Surprised she opened her eyes and saw one of the red haired twins they had seen before stand in front of her, holding the trunk in his hands.

„Wow, that's really heavy." he groaned and set it down. Then he looked at her and she noticed that his eyes were a warm brown. And that he was so tall that she had to crane her neck a little. Now which twin was he? What was their names again? Fred and George?

His expression changed to one of surprise. „Hey, it's really you!"

Willow cocked her head. „Huh?"

„One of the black haired children that had looked so intently at us" He teasingly explained and she blushed, hurriedly trying to explain. „Oh, ehm - you know, we didn't know how to get to this platform so when we noticed your family we thought-" He laughed and shook his head. „Don't worry, we thought as much." He then gestured down to the trunk. „So, wand a hand with that?"

She was just about to agree when Harry came out again. „Will, I found an empty compar- oh hey." He greeted the twin. „Harry," Willow said to him. „He is offering us help to get your trunk in the train." Harry smiled as he came to a halt next to his sister. „Yes, please." he huffed with a smile. Hedwigs cage had been heavy as well, but it was nothing compared to that trunk. The boy turned around, calling for his brother who was just talking with a dark skinned girl that seemed to be around his age. „Oy, Fred! C´mere and help!"

_So this is George_ Willow thought as Fred came over. With the twins´ help it was no problem at all to get the trunk finally into the compartment. Harry was just pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes when it happened - his scar was visible and the twins immediately stared at it. Willow, noticing as well, hurriedly tried to help her brother arrange his hair so that it would hide his scar, but it was too late.

„What's that?" one of them asked, pointing at it.

„Blimey," said the other. „Are you-?"

„He is." said the other again. „Isn't he?" he added to Willow.

„What?" asked Harry, confused about what they meant.

„_Harry Potter_" they chorused.

„Oh, him." said Harry. „I mean, yes, I am."

The two boys gaped at him, then one of them - Fred, Willow thought - turned to her. „And who are you?" he asked her. „His... Cousin or something?"

Willow felt herself going red. Where ever they went since Hagrid told them they weren't just ordinary people everyone knew about Harry. But no one seemed to know she even existed. She still didn't know if she liked that or not.

„N-no," she stuttered. „I'm his sister... Willow."

The twins looked at each other, surprise and skepticism in their eyes. But before they could ask anything more they were saved by a voice floating in through the trains open door.

„Fred? George? Are you in there?"

The twins gave the siblings one last look before they turned around, one calling out „Coming, Mum" as they exited the train. Harry sighed and they were still for a few moments until they could hear the family the twins belonged to bickering. It seemed that they were standing right in front of the window.

Willow, not wanting to seem like they were eavesdropping, spoke up. „I, uhm, think we should get out, too... There's only a few minutes left." Her voice had cracked a little at the end and she silently coughed. Harry should not know how much him going away was hurting her.

„Yeah..." he agreed. But then he turned around, reaching for his trunk. „Why don't you go out already, I just need to check something." Willow, a little confused, went out.

She exited the train just as the oldest boy of the red haired family - who stood not far away - left them huffily and came to stand in front of the train, not far from the door to Harrys wagon. Anxiously looking at the clock on a wall she waited. What was Harry checking? There was almost no time left.

Harry finally came out just as Willow heard one of the twins say „You know the two black haired children who stood near us in the station? Know who the boy is?"

And so it began. Willow knew her brother had hoped that no one would find out about him until he had arrived at school, at least, but that didn't seem to work. She really hoped the twins wouldn't tell everyone on the train.

„I have something for you." Harry said just as he came to stand before her. He seemed to hide something behind his back. „I know how hard it is for you to see me go..." he began. „It will be hard for me, too, of course. I will miss you. But, I'm going to that school and you have to stay with the Dursleys." Willow felt her eyes sting, but no, she wouldn't cry. „So I wanted to give you something that could offer you solace when I'm not here to protect you as I should." He held out a hand. „Give me a hand."

She gave him her left hand, wondering were this was going, and Harry bound something around her wrist. When he was done she finally saw what it was: a simple, thin leather bracelet. And worked into it was a little seven pointed star charm.

„It's called a fairy star." he explained. „I got it in Diagon Alley when you went with Hagrid to search for a toilet. The witch I bought it from said it is a strong protection symbol. Also, she said that if you wear it without break and it someday falls off on its own, it will grant you a wish. So, whenever you feel sad or lonely you just have to look at it and remember that I'm always there for you, no matter how far away I am."

Willow felt her gaze go blurry as she looked at that bracelet. It finally hit her that Harry would really leave her and they would not be able to see each other for at least 10 months. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had made it clear that Harry (and she too, later on) was not welcome to come home for the holidays. If he didn't even come home for the summer holidays she would not see him for 12 months. A whole year.

She couldn't hold in the tears anymore and with a cry she threw herself at her brother, burying her face in the crook of his neck. „I'm going- going to miss you sooo much!" came a muffled sob from her. She felt her brother embracing her, putting a hand on her head and softly stroking her hair. Something he always did when she was upset. Since she could remember.

„I know. I will miss you too." he said. His voice wavered a little. „And I know we said we wouldn't write."

After the incident with the Hogwarts letters and how the Dursleys had reacted to the owls especially, they had both agreed not to write each other although they technically could as they had Hedwig now. But Harry was afraid how they (Aunt Petunia especially) would react if they found out he and his sister send an owl (even his own pet owl) to their house and back. Afraid Willow would be punished. And, to be honest, Willow was afraid of that, too. God knew Aunt Petunia was not someone for many words, she would probably just hit her for doing something they didn't deem normal and even the neighbors could potentially notice. Or give her one of her other archaic, brutal punishments.

„But" he continued, „I promise you that I find a way to contact you." He held out his pinky. „And next year this time we'll board that train together. So try to endure it, okay?"

Willow wiped away her tears, entwining her own pinky with his. „Hm." she said. „I try to find a way, too." she then promised.

Suddenly, there was a whistling sound and everyone going to Hogwarts hurried into the train. Harry leaned out of the window of his compartment just as the red haired mum and the little sister came to stand next to her. Her sons seemed to be in this wagon, too. Willow was still wiping away tears from her eyes (she _really _wanted to say goodbye to Harry with a smile) when a voice unexpectedly called out „Hey, we'll send you a toilet seat, too! So don't cry, Willow!"

Startled she looked up and saw the twins (and their younger brother) hang out of a window not far from Harrys. „Huh?" she asked, not understanding.

„A Hogwarts toilet seat! We send you one; it's a promise!" one of the twins explained with a grin, but Willow still didn't really understand. Why would they do that? However, thinking about how the postman delivered a single toilet seat to the Dursleys ´ house she suddenly had to laugh. The faces she pictured them making were just too funny.

„_George!_" their Mum cried. Then, turning to her she said „Sorry, dearie, they like to make silly jokes."

Silly joke or not, it had stopped her tears and even made her laugh. She was thankful for that.

And so, Willow was able to say goodbye to her brother with a smile. She tried to run with the train until it was too fast to keep up with and waved until she couldn't see the train anymore. Then she left the station with the mum (Mrs. Weasley, she had finally got to introduce herself), who had offered to help her get back, and her daughter.

Saying goodbye to them and heading to where the Dursleys waited in Uncle Vernons car, the thought about being alone for the coming year was a little less crushing than before. She touched her bracelet and a thin, tiny smile graced her face.

AN: Another chapter! I hope Harry wasn't too OOC, but at this point they're both still children who only ever had each other to rely on in the abusive household they were growing up in. So I imagine they are pretty close. Don't worry, it will not always be this harmonic.


	3. Chapter 2: Pain of separation

Willow sighed and came to a halt. It was cold and so the exhaled air was visible as a small white cloud and she silently watched it vanishe. She didn't want to go home.

It was October and it had gotten cold the past few days. Harry had been away for a well over a month now. And she missed him dearly.

Everything had changed. She was now completely on her own at school, but that she had expected. Hogwarts or not, Harry would have been in a different school anyway. And she still didn't have any friends, not even expecting to make some until she, too, left for Hogwarts. But, with Dudley gone too, it was at least somewhat peaceful. Although she still got picked on occasionally by classmates (for wearing old, ugly, ill fitting clothes or because some children found with her short hair she looked like a boy), it was nothing compared to Dudleys bullying she had to endure all her life. Now she was free of him at least in school. And the nagging of the other kids she could ignore.

She couldn't do much about the clothes Aunt Petunia gave her (old clothes of Dudley or sometimes even of herself and things she got cheap in second hand shops) and she liked her hair short.

The Dursleys were not as strict about her hair as they were with Harry. And she did have long hair until a couple years ago. But, similar to her brother, her hair was a nightmare to maintain. It stood out in every direction, but never the way you wanted it. Also, it got constantly tangled and working out the knots every day took a lot of time and it hurt. Even more so if you didn't have the time to be careful about it or the means to make it easier. So, one day, she had just taken some scissors and cut it off. Now, she cut it regularly herself, even her bangs. It may look a little messy, but she found it cute. And it was the only thing in her life she alone could control.

But even at home there had been a change ever since Harry had left. The Dursleys seemed to be kind of calmer. Dudley now spend most of his time at school or with his friends and left her alone even if they did see each other. Though, to be fair, he had never harassed Willow as much as Harry. It seemed that even he saw it beneath him to bully a girl that was so much smaller than him - at least sometimes. Willow was even smaller than her brother, and he wasn't big by any means.

Uncle Vernon ignored her most of the time, but that wasn't really new. What surprised her was the behavior of Aunt Petunia.

Since she could remember, Willow had always been afraid of her aunt. It maybe seemed silly, because compared to her big, beefy husband, she seemed almost frail. But that was deceiving. Uncle Vernon was all bark and no bite. His Wife was different. Petunia was a cold, harsh, sometimes even cruel person that didn't have any love but for her husband and son - or that's how Willow felt about her. Aunt Petunia wasn't one to talk about mistakes you maybe or maybe not made. She just punished you directly. And more often that not her punishments involved hitting. When Harry was Dudleys favorite punching bag - Willow was Aunt Petunias. Because she was the one who always had to help their aunt around the house, as Harry was lousy at cooking and cleaning and so was mainly forced to tend to the garden or to wash Uncle Vernons car. She had lost count about how many bruises she had received from her. One time Petunia had hit her so hard with a pan that she had blacked out for a short period of time and attained a mild concussion. She had to lie to the doctor that she had fallen down a tree.

But since Harry had left she had been different. She still made Willow help around the house and cook occasionally, but other than that there was almost no yelling and she had hit her not even once. Not even when she had accidentally burnt some eggs while making breakfast two weeks ago. Willow didn't understand that sudden change in her aunts behavior and that made her uncomfortable. Petunia wasn't nice by any means, never had been to her and Harry, but she had never been this calm before. It made her skin crawl and question if Aunt Petunia was really capable of changing so much. Did she dare have hope? Willow always had believed in the good in people. She didn't believe that anyone could be bad through and through. But the Dursleys sometimes made her question that. Aunt Petunia especially. And that's why she could not fully believe that change. Maybe it was just temporarily and it would suddenly start again someday. Unexpected and cruel.

Willow let out a deep sight and shook her head. Her thoughts had been getting _way _too dark again. It made her want to not go home. But she didn't have a choice. School was out and she could only stay out for so long in this cold before she began to freeze and shiver. If she caught a cold the Dursleys would not coddle her like Dudley. So she had no other choice. She started to walk again, looking at her feet.

It would be easier if she had something to look forward to aside from going to Hogwarts next year. Something nearer in time. Like a message from Harry. But since saying goodbye at September first she had gotten no message from him. She guessed that meant he hadn't found a way yet - if there even was one aside from owls. She still hadn't found a way either. She had even read the entirety of _Hogwarts: A History, _a book she had bought in Flourish&Blotts while Harry had searched for his school books, in hope it said something about it. But aside from finding out that Muggle technology didn't work on school grounds (so trying to call the school's phone was out of the question) there was nothing.

The only idea she thought could _maybe _work was sending a letter the Muggle way and hope it would somehow come through. The question was if she would dare it. Because if the letter couldn't be send to Hogwarts it would be send back. And if the Dursleys found out she had tried to contact that „freak school" there would be hell to pay for sure. They even made her lie about Harry going to an institution for incurable criminal boys, just so that no one found out that a member of their family was not what they deemed normal. Not that someone really cared to ask. But Willow still felt that shame and humiliation from the conversation with Uncle Vernon when he told her this was what she is supposed to say if someone ever asked. She didn't want to know what the Dursleys would tell the neighbors when she, too, was away next year.

„Meow"

Willow looked slightly up and saw a cat stand before her. It was quite big, with a bushy tail. It's fur was black with white spots - a big on his belly and a small one under his chin - and it's eyes a radiant gold. She knew that cat quite well. With a smile she came to stand before it and squatted down.

„Mr. Tibbles. How are you, my handsome boy?" she cooed while lovingly patting his head. He was one of their neighbors cats. Mrs. Figg, to be specific. She breed them for a living, so her house was always full of them.

Willow and her brother had spent many days and even more afternoons with her. She had babysat them whenever the Dursleys deemed it necessary. Harry had always hated it. He was easily bored and not a fan of cats. And he thought Mrs. Figg was a bit crazy. But Willow had always liked it. Mrs. Figg had always been nice to them and her cats were just wonderful in her opinion. She had never liked a cat more than Mr. Tibbles though, that little rascal. He was very intelligent and could be quite snooty. But when he wanted to play or just cuddle he did everything to make you comply. And he often followed her to and/or from school, just so that she would pet him a little. He even visited the Dursleys garden sometimes when she was doing something there and stayed until Aunt Petunia shooed him away. Petunia hated all animals. Mr. Tibbles began to purr and she happily felt his head vibrate while petting him.

Hearing footsteps she looked up and saw Mrs. Figg coming her way. „Should have known he would find you sooner than me." she greeted Willow, who cocked her head. „Where you searching for me?" she asked surprised. „Do you need something?"

Willow sometimes did little chores for Mrs. Figg, like helping to clean up after the cats or buy cat food. Maybe she needed help? But she shook her head.

„No,no. It's just, with my foot and everything I haven't seen you in a while. And now that your brother is... _away_, I thought I should check up on you."

Willow felt touched. No one, aside from Harry of course, had ever wanted to just check up on her. See how she was and if she needed something. And it was nice that she didn't blurt out where she surely thought Harry was now. With a blush Willow looked down at Mr. Tibbles again. „That's very nice of you." she mumbled. „Thank you."

Mrs. Figg then turned around and began to walk away, Mr. Tibbles following her with a trot. _Well, that's it_, Willow thought. Mrs. Figg had checked up on her and now walked home... or so she had assumed.

„Aren't you coming?" Mrs. Figg asked over her shoulder. „I thought we could talk over a cup of tea. Unless you have to go home?"

Willow didn't have a curfew per say... she only had to be home before Dudley. Because his parents seemed to think that whenever he came home was the right time for children to be home. And she knew for a fact that Dudley would spend the afternoon with a friend.

„I would like to, if I may." she agreed then.

—

Mrs. Figg lived in a house almost identical to the Durlsleys, but it felt much more cozy. Maybe because it wasn't so extremely clean, or all of the knick knacks that littered her place... or just because of the cats. But Willow had alway felt more at home here than she had ever had at her real home.

She currently sat at the table in her kitchen and watched Mrs. Figg prepare the tea and place some cookies on a plate. Willow had offered to help, but she had insisted that she sit and wait. Finally all was set and Mrs. Figg sat down.

„So... how are you, girly?" she asked while pouring the tea. _Girly_ was her term of endearment for Willow - or at least she hoped it was. „I'm good, thank you." she answered, referring to the question as well as the tea Mrs. Figg had finished pouring.

Mrs. Figg looked her over with an insistent gaze and Willow dreaded what she saw. That old woman was not stupid, even if Harry seemed to think so. But Willow knew that she could be quite sharp.

Willow didn't sleep well since Harry was away and she had bags under her eyes. She was used to sleep with her brother. They had not only shared a room (if you even could call that little cupboard under the stairs that), but a bed (cot). She was used to feel him against her, smell him, hear him breath. Even when they were given Dudleys second bedroom with a real bed they had often slept together in it, even though Harry had insisted he would sleep on the cot and Willow take the bed. Now that he was away the bed felt too big and the room was too silent. She had even been a little bit afraid to lay alone in the dark the first two weeks and was only able to calm down when she had breathed in her brothers scent from the pillow he had always used to sleep on. That and the concern about how she could finally contact her brother didn't make for a good nights sleep.

„Really?" Mrs. Figg then questioned. Willow could tell her how much she suffered. Maybe even cry a little. But what good would that do? It would change nothing and would Mrs. Figg even care? _Really_ care? Willow didn't think so. No adult had ever cared.

She put on a smile and nodded. „Yes."

Mrs. Figg took a sip from her tea and exhaled. „How is your brother?" she then asked. Willow looked down at her teacup, watching the steam rise into the air.

„I... don't know. I have no way to contact him."

Willow heard porcelain cling forcefully. „What do you mean, you have no way?" she demanded. Surprised, Willow looked up. Was Mrs. Figg angry about it? Why would she be? „Don't you have an owl now? God knows I told Hagrid to buy you one. Or did that big oaf forget and bought you one of his stupid, dangerous creatures he loves so much?"

Willow felt her eyes go big. What? _How_?

„How do you...!?" she yelped.

Mrs. Figg looked at her with a clear gaze. She didn't seem crazy. But how could she know? Unless... „Are you a witch?" she breathed with a wavering voice.

The old matron sipped at her tea again. „No," she then said. „Although my parents always prayed I would show some magical abilities some day, I was never able to hex even a teabag. I'm a Squib."

Willow cocked her head. „I don't- What is a Squib?" Mrs. Figg turned her head and looked out the window, her gaze far away. „Something you wouldn't wish even on your greatest enemy, girly." she answered. „Someone from a magical family that possesses no magic him- or herself." She looked at Willow again. „For some witches and wizards we are worse than Muggles."

That seemed very bad. And she would definitely ask about that later. But that wasn't important right now. „So... you know about the magical world? Always knew?" Mrs. Figg nodded. „And you know how witches and wizards send letters?" She nodded again, obviously suppressing a laugh. „Of course, girly."

Willow stood abruptly up and lent over the table, taking Mrs. Figgs hands with a wide, excited gaze. „Then... could you please, _please_ help me send a letter to my brother?"

AN: I want to jumble things up a little and give some side-characters a little more attention than they get in the original story. So, in my version our dear Figgy will get a much bigger role. I really like her, because I'm kind of a fan of tough old ladys and hope to do her justice X) Oh, but don t worry; she may have already revealed that she is a squib, but some things will stay secret for the time being. Please feel free to leave a comment! XO


	4. Chapter 3: Mr Figg

Halloween 1991

_Hogwarts_

Harry and Ron had just stood up from the table, wanting to hurriedly bring the Nimbus 2000 to their room, when Percy called after him. „Hey, Harry! I think this owl is for you, too!"

Surprised, he turned around and saw indeed an owl on his plate, a letter bound on its outstretched leg. It was brown and hooted seemingly impatient, so he carefully untied the letter. Who would write him? Aside from that one letter from Hagrid were he had invited him to come visit for tea and, well, this broom now from McGonagall, he had never received a letter in his time in Hogwarts. And he was here for almost two months now. Taking the letter in hand and turning it around, he gasped when he saw the name of the sender. And then overwhelming guilt threatened to crash him.

_Of course. He had promised her. _He had _promised _her to find a way to send her messages... and then totally forgotten. Not that he didn't care about her, not at all. It's just... after all the commotion and conundrum around that mysterious parcel and that _friggin´ three headed dog _\- and the general excitement from going to a school like Hogwarts - he had simply forgotten.

„Oy, Harry. You okay?"

Ron had put a hand on his shoulder, so he looked up and saw that all the people that sat near him now looked at him - Ron and his brothers, Hermione, Lee, Angelina, Neville, Dean and Sheamus. Harry briefly wondered what expression he wore because they looked kind of worried, but then he shook his head. He pushed the parcel containing the broom into Rons arms and hurriedly opened the letter. „Yeah... yeah! It's from my sister." he murmured while doing so.

„Willow?" the twins chorused and Harry hummed in affirmation. While he read the others began to whisper. Only a handful of people in Hogwarts knew of Willow, so hearing _the _Harry Potter had a sibling was big news. In no time at all the whole Gryffindor table knew about it. And at the end of the day the whole school would know for sure.

„Wait, Harry has a sister?" Percy whispered to his brothers and the twins sighed dramatically. „_Yes _Percy. And you would already know if you didn't think the whole world revolved around your stupid prefect batch and sometimes bothered to look around you." Fred snarked and Percy sharply breathed out „Stupid prefect batch-", but was interrupted. „You already saw her." George explained. „She was with Harry on the Platform to the Hogwarts Express." Percy tried - but he just couldn't remember. But George... George couldn't forget. That tiny, meager girl that had so desperately tried to hold in her tears... and then miserably failed. He and his family - except for Percy - had seen and _heard _her break down. How she had clinged to her brother.

He was a big brother, too. And his youngest sibling, too, was a girl. At the sight of this he had embraced Ginny maybe a _tad _bit harder and written to her more often than usual. Though the same couldn't be said about Fred, Percy and Ron. Looking to Harry, he hoped that letter didn't contain any bad news. Because he had heard some things from Ron... about how Harry and Willow were treated by their family. And he didn't like what he had heard. At all.

Harry read Willows letter - and frowned. „Mrs Figg is a Squib?" he asked out loud, turning to Ron. „What is a Squib?"

—

_A few days later_

Willow sat in Mrs Figgs living room, Mr. Tibbles on her lap. A little over a week ago she had told her neighbor about how she and Harry had decided that they wouldn't send letters to each other; or not the Dursleys house to be specific. Willow hadn't elaborated on _why_ they had decided that. But measured on her reaction - tight lips, rigid posture but understanding eyes - Mrs Figg knew the reason... or at least had the right hunch. Willow had then asked if Mrs. Figg had an owl she could borrow and if it would be okay if Harry would write to this address, not home. At least this one time, until she could find a different solution. Mrs Figg had exhaled as if fed up with the situation and Willow had already accepted that she would probably not agree when the old lady had suddenly stood up and went to her phone. She had called someone, asking if she could borrow an owl. When she had hung up she had went into the hallway, opening a drawer of the cupboard that stood there and came back with some stationery. She placed it in front of Willow along with a pen.

„The owl will arrive soon." she had simply said then, turning around and grabbing some cans of cat food on the counter. „And it's okay." Mrs Figg had continued. „Tell Harry he can send his letters to me. I will receive his owl and care for it until you're ready to send it out. You can do that until you're off to Hogwarts yourself next year." Stopping the opening of the cans she had then turned around, a pensive expression on her face. „You should probably tell him I'm a Squib, so that he understands why I suddenly know about you." Then she had looked at the baffled Willow and urged „So start writing, girly."

Willow smiled at that memory. She had felt _so _touched and grateful that she had almost burst into tears then and there. But she had swallowed them down and instead written her letter to Harry. Finally, _finally _she could do that. She could still remember what she had written.

_Dear Harry,_

_How are you? Well, I hope. Don't worry, I'm okay. The Dursleys are treating me more or less the same as always. School is okay, I'm managing. It's actually pretty calm now that Dudley and his friends are not there anymore. How is school for you? I want to know everything! In which house where you sorted? What are you learning? Is it hard? Are you far behind the others that grew up knowing what they are? Do you have some friends already? I hope your classmates are nice to you. You have to write me in detail!_

_Oh, but don't send Hedwig home, please. I found a way for us to send letters to each other. You know Mrs Figg? Guess what I just found out? She is actually a Squib! Crazy, huh? We know her for practically our whole lives already but never even expected that she could hide something like that. Although you always said she was strange. But, oh Harry, she is such a nice lady. She said that we can send the letters from and to her house, so that the Dursleys don't find out. I seriously don't know how to thank her for that. Please say thank you to her as well the next time you come home. I can't wait for your letter. Write to me soon!_

_Your loving sister,_

_Willow._

Now she came to visit Mrs Figg almost every day, asking if Harry had finally answered. He hadn't yet, but she hoped today would be the day. Her eyes moved from Mr Tibbles in her lap to Mrs Figg who currently sat in the armchair next to the sofa she and the cat were sitting on. The matron was sewing on something. Willow looked down at her arm currently stroking Mr Tibbles head. There was a big hole at the hem of her pullovers sleeve. The pullover was pretty old, she had it practically forever now. Once too big, she slowly grew into it and it was now almost too small on her. But for this year it would still do. If there just wasn't this hole...

Willow and Harry didn't have many clothes. Most were hand-me-downs from Dudley and (in Willows case) Aunt Petunia, occasionally Uncle Vernon. Some things like underwear Aunt Petunia bought cheap in second-hand shops. But they all had something in common: they were old, ugly, ill-fitting and, more often than not, had a hole or two. Sometimes, if Aunt Petunia was in a really good mood, she mended at least some of them. But that was a rare occasion and so her and her brothers clothes often sported these holes until they grew out of them.

„You want me to mend that?" Mrs Figg suddenly asked and Willow looked at her. She had stopped her sewing and Willow now saw that she was working on a dress. „What are you doing with that dress?" she suddenly asked. „Did it have a hole?" Mrs Figg looked down at the dress and smiled, lovingly stroking it. „No. I recently sorted out some clothes from my closet and found it under a stack of clothes I haven't worn in years." She held it up and Willow saw that it was a shirtwaist dress in green with a red flower pattern. All in all it looked quite nice. „I wore this dress on the day Harold asked me to marry him." she continued. „It's too big for me now, so I'm making it smaller."

Harold had been Mrs Figgs husband. But Willow and Harry had never gotten to know him. He had died a little over a year before they came to the Dursleys. Mrs Figg never spoke much of him. „What was Mr Figg like?" she asked, hoping not to step over some boundaries. If Mrs Figg didn't want to talk about him she would not force her. „Was he... like you?" Willow was referring to her being a Squib - someone from a magical family without possessing this magic.

Mrs Figg continued her sewing. „No. He was a wizard." She silently snickered. „Everyone told him he was mad for marrying a Squib. That I was a disgrace to the magical world and that he should marry a respectable witch from a respectable family. His parents even disowned him." She again stopped her hands and closed her eyes, heaving a sigh. „But Harold... my Harold never even wavered for a moment. Even when it turned out that I couldn't give him a child he stood by my side." She opened her eyes again. „He was truly more than I deserved. We were married for 42 years. Still would be, if there hadn't been this... incident. But I'm thankful for everyday I got to spend with him." She looked at Willow. „I hope you get to experience this kind of love someday too, girly."

Willow felt flattered at her words. But she couldn't imagine, at least not currently, someone loving her this much. She got the feeling that this kind of love was a rare once-in-a-lifetime thing not everyone got to experience. Oh well. She was still only 10 years old. A child, really.

She looked to her right where a little table stood, next to the sofa. On it were an old fashioned table lamp and a framed picture. In it were two people - Mrs Figg and her husband, Harold. The old matron was younger in it, but not by much. Maybe 10-15 years. They were both facing the camera, smiling, even with their eyes. Mr Figg was a good looking man, Willow figured, for his age and all. He looked kind and friendly. Mrs Figg was looking to the camera, but Mr Figg was looking at his wife; a soft, loving expression in his eyes. This picture radiated happiness and love and Willow felt a sting in her heart. The same sting she always felt when she thought about her parents. A pain as if she had lost something she never knew or experienced and the thought about never having the chance to know it hurt unexpectedly deep.

„I wish I could have gotten to know him." Willow whispered and Mrs Figg chuckled. „Yeah, Harold would have loved you two." she said, referring to Willow and Harry. „To be honest, he would have probably spoiled you both rotten whenever you would have visited us. You especially." Her breath hitched a little. „He - he always wanted a daughter."

Willows eyes widened and she felt a heavy guilt wash over her. She had just wanted to make a little small talk and got carried away... she did NOT want this kind old lady feel sad because of her. Frantically she looked around her, searching her brain and the room for something to say or do that would make Mrs Figg think about something different than her _lost husband._ Her gaze landed on the cat still lazying on her lap and from there to her hand resting on his back. The hole in her pullovers sleeve seemed to stare at her - then she got an idea.

„M-Mrs Figg!" she suddenly stuttered and said old lady paused in her attempt to swipe away an escaped tear. „Could-could you maybe teach me how to sew?!" Mrs Figg looked a little startled, but composed herself quickly. „Well, sure. But why so suddenly? I don't remember you ever having any special interest in sewing. I can just sew that hole myself if it's so urgent." She offered and pointed at Willows sleeve.

The girl now, too, looked down at her sleeve again. And the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. „It's just, I'm going to Hogwarts, too, next year and I think there are some things I should learn before going away. To-to become more independent and be able to look after myself and Harry better. I mean, there I can't just ask you or Aunt Petunia to mend my clothes... so I think I should really learn to do it myself."

Mrs Figg looked at the earnest girl and, unbeknownst to Willow, her heart went out to that scrawny, little witch. She would never admit it, but she had always liked the girl. The boy too, of course, but Willow occupied a special place in her heart. And she had meant what she had said earlier. Her husband would have loved her. _Oh Harold. How I wish you could have met them._

One of her cats, a pure white one named Sheeva, hopped on the windowsill and stared into the sky. „Hm, of course I can teach you how to sew, if you really want." The old lady then said. Although she didn't think Willow really needed to, because, after what Harold had told her about his time in Hogwarts, house elves would look after the students clothes and wash and mend them when necessary. And Willow already was the most independent and responsible child she had ever met, if she could sew or not.

Mr Tibbles suddenly got up and sprang next to Sheeva on the windowsill, making a short sound like he was imitating a pigeon. Mrs Figg laid her sewing utensils down on the coffee table and got up, going to the window, too. And at the horizon she could see it - a little white speck coming closer. She opened the window to let the owl in when it arrived. „But we should probably start the lessons tomorrow." she muttered and turned to the confused looking girl. „I think your brothers answer finally comes." she answered the untold question just as Hedwig gracefully sailed through the window into the living room.

—

AN: Sorry! Sorry I took so long to upload. I just hit a writers block and then with the holidays and everything I totally lost track of the time. (Between Christmas and New Year I could have honestly not told you what day it was if you randomly asked me. I would have to check my phone first :X) Also, I was visiting some relatives around New Year. But that visit gave me some new inspiration, so all is good. This chapter is kind of short (?) in my opinion, but Hedwig arriving felt like a good breaking point. But there is some cute bonding between Willow and Mrs Figg. Concerning Mr "Harold" Figg, I think it was never mentioned that Mrs Figg was ever married, neither in the books or the movies (and I didn't find anything online) but I think there would be another reason for her to be in the Order, aside from simply being a Squib. I mean, I think she was the only Squib in the Order (at least mentioned) and if I remember correctly Squibs are encouraged to leave the magical world and immerse themselves into the muggle world, so her having a wizard for a husband (who himself was active in the Order) was the only logical reason for me for her to still be so heavily involved into the magical world. Also, "Harold" was chosen at random, it has no special meaning or anything for me. I think you have noticed that this story will be a slow-burner and it will take some time until we get to the action, but I think it will only be 2-3 chapters until we end book 1 and enter book 2. _That _means the visit in the burrow and Hogwarts are coming soon! Yay!


	5. Chapter 4: The first Christmas

_December 25 1991_

"This are fewer presents than last year! I want more!" Dudley wailed in the living room. He currently sat by the beautifully decorated Christmas tree amongst a mountain of gifts. As per every year he had gotten every little thing he had wished for. And at least half of these new toys would be broken before the day had ended. But still it was not enough for him. Dudley never had enough and his parents always gave in. This time too; as soon as Dudley started his tantrum Aunt Petunia immediately went and soothed her "little sweetums" and Uncle Vernon promised to buy him at least two more presents after the holidays. Willow shook her head and went back to the pan cooking the bacon and eggs.

She had gotten a present from the Dursleys, too. A fifty pence piece. Which was actually quite generous of them to be honest. It was decidedly better than a pair of used socks or a coat hanger. At least she could buy her favorite chocolate bar with the money. Harry had probably gotten the same; they always did.

A week ago an owl had come to the Dursleys house again, which had been quite the drama. Her Aunt and Uncle had summoned her into the living room and accused her of secretly staying in contact with Harry (which she did, but they didn't know it) and she had denied it as good as she could. Willow was a terrible liar (her ears and cheeks got hot and red when she was nervous and she had the habit to play with the hem of whichever top she was currently wearing) so they immediately knew that she was hiding something. Uncle Vernon had screamed at her and Aunt Petunia had slapped her cheek so hard that she had tumbled from the sheer force behind it. So much for her changing her attitude.

Uncle Vernon then finally had opened the letter and the drama had been solved, more or less. It was a letter from the school, not Harry, that simply informed them that her brother was staying in Hogwarts over the holidays and that they could give the owl the presents for Harry so that he could receive them at Christmas. Her Uncle had then sent her to her room and Willow gladly went, though she had seen the mean gleam in his eyes and feared for the worst. A fifty pence piece wasn't so bad in hindsight, though Harry couldn't use the money in the Wizarding world.

Willow lightly touched her cheek and winced softly. It was still a little tender. But the swelling had almost disappeared and the bruise was starting to fade. Maybe she could visit Mrs Figg a bit today. She hadn't gone for a week now because Willow hadn't wanted for Mrs Figg to see her bruised and badly swollen cheek. But Mr Tibbles had visited her one time when she had gone into the garden to take out the garbage. But she really wanted to visit the old dame today. Because she had a present for her.

Since that day Willow had finally gotten the first letter from Harry and proposed the matron teach her to sew she had visited her almost every day. And almost every time they had sewn together. Willow actually was pretty good already, or so Mrs Figg had told her. She now could do all kinds of stitching techniques and even a bit of embroidery. Together they had improved her clothes greatly, sometimes even making new clothes entirely of the ones Mrs Figg deemed irredeemable. Like Mrs Figg had thought her how to make a dress from an old shirt of Dudleys that had been MUCH too big for her and full of holes. It was now a nice dress with cute embroidery where the holes used to be. It had been a hassle, because Willow had to sneak the clothes out of the Dursleys house one after one and back again.

Her aunt and uncle actually didn't care that she spent so much time away from them, as long as she did her chores. But they didn't know she went to Mrs Figg when she was out of the house, and what they were doing there. Because if they knew that she had become friends with the old babysitter (as they saw her), had fun spending time with her AND got 'new' clothes as well, to top it all off; it could very well be that they then suddenly would forbid her to continue her visits. So she had done everything in secret, often wearing the clothes she wanted to work on underneath her 'normal' clothes when she went to Mrs Figg and back as to not get busted.

But all this had been worth it. Not just for herself, but for her brother as well. She lightly patted the fairy star bracelet he had given her the day he went to Hogwarts and smiled. As a Christmas present Willow (with help of her old friend, of course) had altered a whole stack of clothes for Harry that he had left at home. Pants, shirts and pullovers now hole-free and in his size. It wasn't much, but she hoped that he liked it. Harry hadn't packed much clothes, so it had to be a nice addition, right?

Learning to sew had been difficult, but useful. And really fun, as Willow had discovered. She now loved to sew. Unfortunately she only could do it at Mrs Figgs house, because she neither had the supplies nor the time for it at home. But every day she couldn't wait to set foot into that house that smelled like cats and cookies and to continue her current project. And as a thank you Willow had made a present for Mrs Figg she wanted to give her today.

She wanted it to be a surprise, so sewing her something was out of the question. She didn't really have other talents though and so hadn't known what to do, when something really strange happened. A week ago she had sat in her room and thought about how she could maybe draw something for Mrs Figg if only she had some colored pencils or watercolors or something (which she didn't) when suddenly there was a loud bang in Dudleys room. Willow had startled and become afraid. She had been alone in the house; Uncle Vernon had still been at work and Aunt Petunia had gone shopping with her cousin. When nothing else made noise she decided to be brave and investigate.

Under any normal circumstances Willow would never be allowed in Dudleys room. Her cousin was adamant about her and Harry not setting foot into his kingdom, especially after he had already lost his second bedroom to them. If he ever discovered that she had been there he would throw a big tantrum. But he currently wasn't here, so she risked it anyway. When she opened his room she immediately noticed the box on the floor. His room was tidy aside from that box, so it stood out. Aunt Petunia tidied it every day when Dudley was in school.

Willow knew that box. It contained a selection of colored pencils. Dudley had gotten it from Aunt Marge two years prior when he had had a phase were he wanted to be a professional painter, or so he had claimed. Aunt Marge had immediately gifted him this box with expensive colored pencils. They were amazing and so totally wasted on Dudley. His drawings were hideous and honestly kind of disturbing. Thank god he had decided that drawing wasn't for him soon after and she had never seen that box again... until that day. She had honestly forgotten about it. But now here it was... and she decided to take it. She felt terrible for stealing and promised to give it back as soon as she was finished, praying that Dudley would not notice its absence. It was unlikely, he had so many toys that he himself didn't really know what he already owned. But it could happen.

And so, with these pencils, she had drawn a Thank you card. It had taken several attempts, but at last it was how she wanted it to be. After the breakfast she also finally had the chance to get out of the house for a while, promising her aunt to be back in time to help preparing the big Christmas dinner.

—

Arabella Figg was a tough woman. That happened when you had to endure as much hardship as she had. Being born the sole Squib into a family that was otherwise magical through and through had been the first blow. She had always known, or more like felt, that she was different from her friends and family. Often when young witches and wizards, who had yet to learn how to control their powers, felt strong emotions, strange things tended to happen. She had seen it happening for friends and cousins. Yet nothing ever happened when she had thrown a tantrum.

Her parents thought they could help her by trying to teach her specific spells, but nothing had ever worked when she had tried them. So she had known that going to Hogwarts was a dream not meant for her. The day all of her friends had gotten their letters and she had not, she had been calm and taken it with dignity. Though seeing her mother cry and sob about how unfair and embarrassing it was to be the only parents in the whole village to have a Squib for a child had resulted into a giant crack to her heart.

She was then sent to a boarding school for Muggle girls, her parents encouraging her to sever her ties to them and the magical world as much as possible, and immerse herself into the Muggle world. For years she had done so, visiting her hometown and family only once a year for Christmas. It had been hard and lonely, because she now felt home in neither world. She couldn't really talk with anyone because for witches and wizards she was an embarrassment and abomination and Muggles didn't believe in anything magical. But somewhere between that time she had made peace with her quiet, little existence and hadn't expected much for herself. Her only dream was to one day own a cozy little house somewhere and spend her days breeding cats. Animals she had always loved.

That was until she had met Harold.

Their meeting had been an accident. He had just learned to apparate and had somehow managed to miss his destination point so badly that he, however apparation worked, had landed on HER when she had been on her way home after work. It had been a shock for both of them, for Harold even more so because he had feared having to obliviate her. And so had been immensely relieved when she had told him that she knew about his kind and explained what she was. He had then invited her for a cup of tea and not even a year later, right after his graduation, he had proposed to her.

It had been a little scandal in the wizarding world and both of their families had done their hardest to make them reconsider. Her own mother had told her to let him go and be happy with another witch. Because, as a Squib, she would never be able to make him happy.

Arabella had earnestly considered it, even going so far as to pack her things in preparation to leave him in secret. But Harold had found out and in tears he had begged her to stay because, witch or not, he didn't love anyone as much as her and that he didn't care what everyone said. So she had, for the first time in her life, decided to be selfish and stay with Harold, resulting in him getting disowned and her breaking off contact to her family. Still, they were happy and in love.

But life had made her pay dearly for that decision. For years after the wedding they had tried to make a baby, to start their own little family, without result. When she finally did get pregnant she had lost the baby soon after. And then a doctor had told her that she was never going to be a mother. Something was wrong with her.

This news had destroyed her. She had broken down right there, in the hospital, before her husband and the doctor. For weeks after she had a severe depression, refusing to eat and speak. For hours she had just sat in their bed, staring at nothing. Thinking on how she couldn't give Harold anything he wanted and deserved. He had told her how much he wanted a daughter, a precious little girl. "But of course, a boy would be nice, too. As long as it's healthy, I can love any child of us!" He had laughed.

The one thing he wanted from her. A child. And she couldn't give him that. Her mother had been right.

After a while Arabella had started to speak again, bit by bit. And the first thing she did was offering to let him go. So that he could find himself a woman that could bear him children. Give him everything she couldn't.

But Harold had just taken her in his arms and cried along with her. Then he had kissed her and assured that everything was okay. Everything would be okay. He would never leave her and she never could do anything that would make him love her less. Then they had never spoken about this tragedy again.

The next day he came home with their first two cats, grinning and saying that it was high time for her to realize her dream of breeding cats.

She had loved him so, so much. Their marriage, while it did have some strains sometimes, had been the happiest period of her life. The day he had died she had felt as if all color had suddenly drained from the world. From then on everything had felt incredibly dull and she had thought she would go crazy without him.

That was, until a pair of two particular siblings had stumbled into her life.

From the first day the Potter siblings had been brought to their relatives in Privet Drive on she always had her eyes on them, pitying them for having to live with an uncaring uncle, cruel aunt and their spoilt son. More often than once she had been tempted to call the authorities when she had seen Harry and Willow sport another bruise or scratch. And with how thin and small they were they more than likely didn't get enough to eat - which was honestly hard to believe with how fat their cousin was. At times like this she had to recall Dumbledores words repeatedly. They had to live there for their own protection until Harry was of age. Because still it was unclear if He-who-must-not-be-named was defeated once and for all and still it was at least a possibility that he was lurking somewhere, waiting to get his hands on the boy.

She could still vividly remember the first time the siblings had come to her home in order for her to babysit them. The boy had been 5 and the girl 4 years old. Harry had been guarded and pouting, he obviously hadn't want to come and spend most of his time at her house watching TV. Willow had been shy but curious; at first she had clinged to her brother but gradually she had warmed up bit by bit. At the end of that day she had formed that strange friendship with Mr Tibbles, one of her more strange and difficult cats, who had still been a kitten and was actually her first successful mixed breed between kneazel and cat, and had helped her clean up the kitchen after dinner. With concern Arabella had noticed how much that little four year old already knew about cleaning when the most she should know at this age was where her toys had to be brought to after playing with them.

After that day they came regularly, sometimes even for up to two weeks when the Dursleys went for a vacation. And although Harry was a little difficult to handle with his snarky attitude and Willow too overly concerned and considerate in her opinion (and especially for that age), she now loved them both dearly. Especially the girl.

Once she had asked Dumbledore, who demanded regular updates on the siblings (Harry especially), if it was really necessary for Willow to be with the Dursleys, too. She had that one, probably foolish dream, in which she took the girl in and moved far away with her, where her aunt and uncle couldn't hurt her anymore. Hell, they would probably even be happy to get rid off at least one of the siblings. But she knew that this was impossible before Dumbledore had even opened his mouth. "No," he had answered, "Harry has to stay with his family for the time being and his sister is one of the only things that can tie him to this place long enough. Who knows what he will do if he has nothing left there, if he comes after his father." He had chuckled and then added, with a slightly sad smile "Also, wouldn't it be cruel to separate them when they only have each other?"

Of course she knew this. Willow loved her brother to death. He was her hero and could do no wrong in her eyes. She practically worshipped the floor he walked on. But, after having seen once how Harry had protected his little sister from their cousin and his friends (and gotten badly beaten up because of it) she could not fault her for it. They really only had each other. She would be a monster for separating them.

So she had vowed to silently watch out for them and pamper and comfort them whenever she could. Which was why Arabella was currently standing at the window, anxiously staring out at the street.

She hadn't seen Willow for a week now, after seeing her almost every day for more than a month. Something wasn't right, she could feel it in her bones. But she didn't know what to do. She couldn't just call her or knock at the Dursleys door, because they didn't know about their friendship and exposing it was probably a bad idea. 3 days ago she had sent Mr Tibbles out to find her and he had come back with a letter for Harry she was supposed to send away with his owl, along with Willows Christmas present for him. But no explanation about why she wasn't coming.

There actually even where Christmas Presents for Willow, too. A little parcel from her brother, probably sweets or something, one from Hagrid and a very lumpy parcel from one "Mrs Weasley". She didn't know her personally, but if she remembered right this had to be the little sister of Fabian and Gideon Prewett, who had died shortly before her Harold. Arabella was really curious how Willow had gotten to know her. And she had a present for her, too. She had put together an extensive set with everything the girl needed for sewing and embroidery. And she had baked her favorite cookies, even colorfully decorated them. Something she hadn't done in a long time. If she just would come today...

Just as she thought she would definitely go to the Dursleys tomorrow if she didn't come today, she saw the tiny girl hurry down the street to her house, lifting a huge weight from her heart.

—

Willow stood before the door of Mrs Figgs house, trying to get up the courage to ring the bell. She had hurried down the street when suddenly a thought had shot into her head: what if she didn't want Willow to come? Christmas was a holiday for families, and she didn't belong to the old matrons family, as hard as she sometimes wished Mrs Figg was her real grandmother. Also, thinking on it, the card she had drawn as a present was kinda crappy. She looked down at the picture.

She had tried to draw Mrs Figg and herself, holding hands, with Mrs Tibbles between and a big heart above them. In the card she had written "Thank you for everything you have done for us. I love you!". She had decorated it with stickers and glitter, but it didn't look very good. Yeah, she really didn't have much talent. And wasn't "I love you" too much? Did Mrs Figg even really like her? Maybe this was too much and she would just toss the drawing away, like Aunt Petunia the few times she had drawn something for her when she was still in kindergarten; calling it cheap and ugly.

Maybe it was best to just go home, throw the drawing in the trash and come back after the holidays. Yeah, this was probably for the best. She had just turned around when suddenly the door was opened. Mrs Figg stood there, just silently gazing down at her, her eyes wandering to her still bruised cheek and then to her hands clutching the hand-drawn card. Without saying anything she just drew Willow in for a hug, holding her against her chest, and Willow felt tears shoot into her eyes. Then she hugged the old lady back with all her might.

After that, they went into the house, where Mrs Figg made two big cups of hot chocolate. With whipped cream and sprinkles on top. While she was preparing the beverage and cookies Willow unwrapped her presents. From her brother she had gotten a pack of chocolate frogs, which instantly hoped out of its wrapping when you opened it and Mr Tibbles chased it around the living room, making her laugh. Hagrid had sent her a roughly cut wooden bird. It looked beautiful in its own way and would get a proud place on her nightstand. Surprisingly there was even a parcel from Mrs Weasley, containing a thick, hand-knitted sweater in emerald green and a big box of delicious looking homemade fudge Willow instantly placed on the table to share it with Mrs Figg. She made a mental note to thank Mrs Weasley the next time she saw her. Maybe she could even sent a letter for her to Harry, so that he could give it his friend Ron to send it to his mother.

But the best present was the one from Mrs Figg. The moment she had unwrapped the beautifully carved wooden chest she had run into the kitchen and again hugged her friend fiercely, almost knocking Arabella down. The mugs of hot chocolate were steaming on the tray placed next to a plate of sugar cookies. Her hand-drawn picture had been placed on the refrigerator for all the world to see.

And although she missed her brother and was sad they couldn't spend the day together, this was the best Christmas she had ever had.

—

So, here is finally the next chapter. And this is the last time I will say sorry, because the truth is, I probably will not update this story regularly (at least not as regularly as I would like). I'm not saying this to be mean.

In an ideal world I would be constantly inspired and had the whole day to write, but sadly that's not the case. I have a full time job and I will probably go to university starting this fall and so slowly have to start planing for it, like looking for a place to stay and moving out from my parents. Also, I'm becoming an aunt this summer, so my life is REALLY changing this year. It's exciting, but also kinda frightening. Don't worry if I don't update for a while, it doesn't mean that I have abandoned this story, I'm probably just not inspired to write or just don't have time at the moment. I still have big plans for little Willow.

At this point I want to say that I'm using the books for my FF, not the movies. But I will probably add some scenes I like, just not everything. Also, there will probably be some BIG changes for most, if not all couples. It's not that I don't like the couples that happened at the end, but I feel that they don't work in my version. I mean, it will be a while until there is some obvious romance in the story, but don't be surprised if I hint at some different couples.

If you want me to update sooner try to leave comments because I'm not too shy to admit that I'm a comment whore and thrive on encouragement, haha. Shoutout to Currahee506, it was only "please update", but it brought me to write again. A BIG thank you to you!

How did you like this chapter? Christmas always is a big deal in the books, so I thought Willow should have her own Christmas special, too. And do you like my take on Mrs Figgs backstory? I hope it wasn't too cliched. I think the next chapter will be around Willows birthday and then, FINALLY, Harry will come back and book 1 finished. So not that long anymore. Stay healthy my lovelies!


	6. Chapter 5: A brothers homecoming

Willow was running as fast as the packed halls and platforms of Kings Cross and her short legs allowed. It was already a few minutes after the time Harrys train was supposed to arrive.

The first few months of her brothers absence had been rocky; filled with anxiety and uncertainty because she didn't know how she could stay in contact with Harry. But after that had been resolved the time seemed to fly by. Between writing him, visiting Mrs Figg and improving her new passion of sewing and embroidery June, and with that the summer holidays, had seemed to approach with an unusual quickness. And finally the day had come she would see her brother again. Approaching the wall between the platforms 9 and 10 she already could see him.

"Harry!"

Just as he was turning around she flew into his arms with so much momentum that they whirled around one time. They both laughed as she burrowed her face in his neck and embraced him with all her might. Harry didn't hold back either as he squeezed her so hard that that for a few moments she couldn't breath - but she didn't care. Her brother, her strong, perfect protector was back and finally, as he gently patted her head, her world seemed to be okay again. "I have missed you so much!" came her muffled voice.

"Be quiet Ginny, and it's rude to point." a stern voice near them said and they withdrew from each other, realizing that they were not alone. A small gaggle of red haired people, plus a girl with really bushy hair stood next to them, smiling as they watched the two siblings reunite. "Oh, Mrs Weasley!" Willow gasped, "I'm sorry, I didn't want to be rude." "Yeah, sorry." Harry agreed. "Oh, don't worry, dearies." She smiled. "Busy year?" She then asked and Willow and Harry looked at each other. Willow now knew what her brother had been up to in Hogwarts with his friends. That he had fought against the wizard that had killed their parents. Hogwarts had sent an owl; though this time to Mrs Figg, thank god. She had been angry at first, that he had taken such a risk, but now she was just glad that he had come back. But in a later letter to Harry she had promised not to tell anyone.

Meanwhile Harry knew all about his sisters friendship with that old cat lady and her newly discovered talent in sewing. They both then grinned and Harry agreed "Very." Willow took a step in her direction. "Thank you again for the fudge and jumpers, Mrs Weasley." She said, Harry nodding his head in agreement. "The fudge was so delicious. Oh, and I love the jumper! I have worn it so much this winter. It's so warm and comfy." The red haired woman smiled flattered, blushing a little bit. "It was nothing, dearie. And you already thanked me." True to her word, Willow had sent a letter, together with a little gift, to her brother for Ron to sent to his mother. "And the handkerchief you gave me is really pretty. I love the embroidered flowers on it." Willows eyes lit up. "Really? I'm so glad! That was the first time I have tried to do flowers and feared that it was a little wacky." "The first time? It looked actually quite professional to me." Now Willow was the one blushing.

"What do we hear about a gift?" A new voice popped in. "Yeah, we have given you a present, too, and yet received nothing in return." A similar voice continued. The twins stood next to her, pretending to pout, but that quickly turned into mischievous smiles.

Willows birthday had been on May second, and this year she had been so busy with everything that she herself had almost forgotten it - though that probably had more to do with the fact that her birthday had never really been celebrated before. Although she and Harry always made sure to celebrate their birthdays at least a bit together in secret, they were strictly ignored at home. Dudleys birthday always was a huge and important occasion. This year they had gone to an amusement park, a trip she was thankfully spared from by staying with Mrs Figg. Yet she and her brother never even got a 'Happy Birthday' from their family. Willow wasn't even sure they knew anymore when their birthdays were. So she was really surprised when she had visited her friend that day and she had surprised her with a cake and present. Her present had been a self-made plushie, which was also an exact replica of Mr Tibbles. She had loved it. And had been even more surprised when a second present had appeared that day, send by owl. A pretty big one.

At first she had thought it was from her brother, and well, it was in parts. But the attached letter explained that the present itself had been an idea of the twins. And when she had opened it she had laughed so much that she had even shed some tears.

It was a toilet seat. And on it a lot of people had written birthday wishes for her, even people she had never heard from. It was amazing. She still remembered George shouting out of the slowly faster getting train that they would send her a toilet seat to make her stop crying. But she had never thought much of it. Until that present came. It had been a hassle to smuggle that thing into her room, but now it hung proudly on the wall above the bed. She liked to look at it from time to time. It made her smile. But she was glad that the Dursleys avoided her room, because explaining why a toilet seat was hanging in her room would probably not go well.

Willow smiled up at the boys who stood more than a head taller than her. "I have not forgotten, but I needed some time for my present." She reached into the small satchel she was wearing. "Tada!" She held out two small, identical, red haired rag dolls. The only difference between them was that one sported an 'F' on it's chest and the other a 'G'. The twins stared at them and Willow became a little self conscious. Thinking now, wasn't it weird to give two boys in their teens dolls? She thought it would be a fun present, but maybe they didn't like it. One boy reached for a doll. "Look Fred, I finally have someone that looks exactly like me!" He joked, holding the doll next to his face. Fred took the other doll. "Oh yeah, I think it looks even more like me than you!"

"What do you have there?" A girlish voice asked and the red haired girl stepped up to their little group. "Ginny look! Willow made us twins!" Fred held out his doll and she took it. "It's so cute!" She exclaimed. "And you really did them yourself?" Willow nervously played with the hem of her shirt, not used to praise coming from someone else than Harry or Mrs Figg. "Ehm, yes. I recently learned how to do plushies and thought I'd try to make some. As a thanks for the birthday present." Ginny continued to scrutinize the plushie of her brother. "It looks really good, almost as if- wait, your birthday was recently?" Willow shyly nodded and Ginny gave back her brothers doll. Then she reached for Willows hand. "Happy belated birthday!" She congratulated with a smile. "Oh, ehm, thank you so much." "Next year we should really celebrate it! I mean, you're going to Hogwarts next year too, right?" Willow thought on it. Hagrid had promised it to her so agreeing and looking forward to it should be okay, right? "Yeah, as far as I know."

"Of course you're going." George said. "Yeah, you're obviously a witch." Fred agreed. "And next year we're all going to be in Gryffindor together."

Hogwarts had four houses; Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Harry and, as far as she knew, all of the Weasley boys were in Gryffindor. But would she be one? Harry had written that a Gryffindor had to be brave and daring. She didn't know if she had that in her. Though being separated from her brother would be horrible for her. "You think I'm going to be a Gryffindor?" George gently smiled down at her.

He thought back to an incident right before Christmas. He had searched for Ron to ask something. When he had went to his room it had been empty except for Harry sitting on his bed with a stack of letters next to him, holding one in his hands and reading it. "What are you doing?" He had asked curiously. Harry staying alone in his room was a rare occurrence as far as he knew. He and Ron were always together. "I'm re-reading the last few letters I got from Will." George had furrowed his brow. "Your sister? Why?" Harry had held up a letter with a handwriting different from the stack of letters next to him. "I got a letter from our neighbor this morning. She hasn't seen or heard from Willow for a couple of days now and is asking me if I know something."

George had heard from this neighbor already. Apparently an old lady the Potter siblings knew for their whole lives recently had outed herself as a Squib and was now kind of looking after Willow. He had felt anxiousness grow in his stomach, thinking back on the things he had heard about the family Harry and Willow had to live with. That, apparently, they were abused regularly. Thinking about a tiny, defenseless girl like her having to stay with such people, and now alone, had made him sick and still did. Didn't Muggles have any ways to protect children like them? "Did something happen?"

Harry had sighed at that and grabbed another letter. "That's what I'm trying to find out. If that idiot has one character flaw it's that she worries too much about others and not enough about herself. She never complains or tells me when something happened because she doesn't want me to worry and I always have to find out myself. She would never tell me outright, but I'm hopping she wrote at least a hint I just didn't understand beforehand."

George didn't know how the siblings themselves saw it, but having to endure an abusive upbringing, day after day, and never even complaining about it was more than brave and courageous in his mind. Two things Gryffindor house represented. He didn't have any doubt that this girl was joining their house next year, along with Ginny. So he said "After everything Harry has said about you I'm more than sure we will be in the same house."

Willow stared up at him, blinking. What exactly had her brother said about her that this boy seemed to think so highly of her? "Hey Will, come here for a second?" Harry shouted over to her and she turned around to him and his friends. Waving goodbye to the twins and Ginny she walked over.

"I want you to meet my friends. Officially I mean." Harry explained, pointing to another red haired boy and a girl with bushy, brunette hair. "Hey, we already saw each other back in September." The boy explained with a little smile. "But I'm Ron." He waved a little. "And I'm Hermione!" The girl chirped in.

Of course, Willow knew of them already. Harry had written a lot about them. She indeed remembered Ron from when they had come to the Hogwarts Express the first time. Apparently he and her brother had build the fundament for their friendship right there in that train. And she knew that they both hadn't actually liked Hermione at the beginning, because she was a little know-it-all (or so Harry had claimed in one of his first letters). But then something had happened that had made them reconsider, though he wouldn't tell her what exactly. And now she was one of his best and dearest friends. Alone for being good friends to her brother she liked them already.

She smiled. "It's so nice to meet you! I'm Willow, Harrys little sister. Thank you for being friends with my brother. Oh, and for the birthday present." They had both written on the toilet seat. Hermione blushed and Ron grinned awkwardly in light of so much earnest friendliness. "Oh, ehm, it was nothing." He stuttered just as Hermione said "You're welcome." Although the bushy haired girl thought the idea of the twins to surprise Harrys sister with a toilet seat had been stupid, it seamed that she really liked it and that was a relief. But just as they started a real conversation they were rudely interrupted.

"I said to take your brother and come back right away! Was that really so hard to understand?"

A big, beefy man with mustache and purple face stepped to their group, eyeing every one with distaste. "Your poor aunt and cousin are waiting in the hot car. How rude can you be?" At once the group of wizards and witches could see how the Potter girl, so joyful just a moment before, withered into herself and the boy took a defensive, aggressive stand. "I'm - I'm sorry Uncle Vernon. You're right, I've been thoughtless. I'm sorry." Willow stuttered. "Well, you lot could have just come with Will to greet me, then 'poor' Aunt Petunia and Dudley wouldn't have needed to sweat in your expensive car, would they?" Harry practically spit into his face. The Dursleys sweating, as if. They surely had the AC on max.

Uncle Vernon narrowed his eyes and Willow lost all color from her face. "Greet you?" Vernon asked with venom in his voice. "Be glad I actually did come to get you. Believe me when I say you are not welcome. You could have walked for all I care." His face morphed into an ugly grin. "I actually thought you lot travel everywhere by broom. What, have you been too stupid to learn it?"

Harry balled his hands and thought about grabbing his wand and hexing Uncle Vernon into oblivion, the ban of using magic in the holidays and the resulting consequences be damned. But then he felt the small hand of his sister on his fist, making him reconsider. Doing something rash would not only affect him, but her as well. He breathed out, trying to calm down. Then they heard a woman clear her throat and remembered again that they weren't alone.

Mrs Weasley kindly smiled at Vernon. "Hi! You must be their family!" He only eyed her with disapproval. "In a manner of speaking." He again turned to the two siblings. "Hurry up now, we haven't got all day." Then he walked away.

Harry grabbed his cart with Hedwig and his belongings while Willow tried to downplay the scene the Weasleys and Hermione had just seen. "He is not always like that, I promise! He is just grumpy because of the heat." She explained while forcing a smile on her face.

"See you over the summer, then." Ron said, feeling uneasy after such an incident. "Hope you have - er - a good holiday." Hermione followed. "You, too, Willow." "Oh I, will," Harry said and everyone stared at him with surprise. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun this summer..." He followed his uncle and Willow gaped at her brother before running after him "Harry!" She cried with a concerned voice.

"That poor dearies." Mrs Weasley sighed just as Percy and Hermiones parents finally joined their little group, watching the siblings disappear in the crowd. "I had heard some rumors but didn't know their family was this bad." She turned to her youngest son. "You invited them to come to us this summer, didn't you?" "Well, yes." He nodded. "At least I told Harry to come and bring his sister too, if she wants." Molly grinned. "That's my son!" She cooed and lovingly patted his cheek. Then she turned to the rest of her family. "Now let's go! Your father is already home and can't wait to see you."

—————

The next day

"Do we really have to go? I actually just wanted to lounge around today." Harry pouted, but Willow walked on. "Yes," she patiently said, as if she had not already answered that same question over a dozen times. "I promised her that we would visit her at least once. And I know you!" She pointed at him just as he had opened his mouth. "If I give you free reign on when to go visit her you will postpone it again and again until there is no time anymore. So why not do it now and get it over with?"

Willow was in a good mood and in full drive. For the first time in what felt like ages she had actually slept through the night without waking up even once. Her brother was with her again and last night they had slept together in the bed. She had cuddled up to him and fallen asleep pretty quickly, although she had actually planned to talk with him through the night (she wanted to know everything, even if he had already written about some events). But now she was full of energy and the first thing she wanted to do in her last holidays before going to Hogwarts was to visit her friend and make her brother thank her, too. Mrs Figg had become so important to her that she still felt that simply thanking her wasn't enough. Willow doubted she would have got the time until Harry came home again over so smoothly without her. But thanking her was a good start. She stopped at the corner of their street.

"Listen, Harry," she sighed and looked up at him imploringly. "I know you're not her biggest fan, but she has done so, so much for me... for us. She helped us stay in contact and thought me how to sew. She never made me go away whenever I turned up on her doorstep and - and she even celebrated Christmas and my birthday with me... She didn't have to do that, but she did. Don't you think that's nice?" Harry looked down at his feed, suddenly embarrassed. He really hadn't wanted to go when his sister had announced this morning that they would go visit that lame cat lady. But thinking on it, he really had to thank her. For looking after Willow and making him worry over her less. Mrs Figg had even written to him a few times as well. And at Christmas he had gotten a present Willow and she had worked together on. He was actually currently wearing pants from that stack they had altered. It fit him perfectly and looked good.

"Okay, okay. I'm going and I will thank her." He agreed and they continued, Willow smiling happily.

When Arabella opened her door a few minutes later she was a little surprised. Of course, she had said to Willow to bring her brother along at least once; but hadn't expected that would happen the very next day. "Hello, kids." She greeted them with only a slight hint of surprise in her voice. "Well then, come in."

Together they walked into the living room and from there Mrs Figg made her way into the kitchen to get something cold to drink. "It still smells like cats in here." She could hear Harry mutter and then a hissed "Harry!" from Willow.

She smiled. Her kids were finally back together

—————

AN: Hey guys, how are you? I hope everyone is healthy. This current situation with Corona is frightening and I'm so glad that my own family is still healthy. My mom is a nurse, so I hear some things from her and I'm imploring you to take it seriously. I actually had to stay in home quarantine the last 2 weeks because I was a little sick. I don't know if it was Corona or just a common cold, but in Germany you get told currently to stay home for at least 2 weeks anyway if you're sick. But I'm better now, don't worry. This chapter was actually planned to come out earlier, but as it is sometimes the way I had planned this chapter was kind of going nowhere and I had to backpedal and begin it from scratch again. Originally I had planned this chapter to center around Willows birthday and maybe even introduce a new OC, but I at least didn't forget about it completely and the OC will be introduced later on. Did you like my surprise present from the twins? I think that's something they would probably do and hey, they did promise her ;) I hope no one was OOC. It's sometimes difficult to write about already existing characters and not unintentionally alter them more than necessary. So Harry is back and we're officially leaving book 1, entering book 2 with the next chapter. I'm excited and I hope you are, too!

Shoutout to Currahee506 and especially Vadimmon. Thank you for being understanding and encouraging me. It seriously means a lot to me. Please everyone, stay safe and healthy!

Xoxo Lulu


	7. Chapter 6: A grand escape

"Harry!"

Willow was approaching her brother, who was currently sitting on the bench in the Dursleys garden, with her hands behind her back; an excited expression on her face. He looked up at her, obviously in a bad mood. Which changed instantly when she revealed what she had been hiding behind her back. "Happy Birthday, I love you!" She cheered and held out her present, which was wrapped in an old newspaper, but decorated with a cute ribbon.

It were fingerless leather glows she had secretly worked on the last couple of weeks. She thought they would look cool and give him a better grip when he flew his broom while playing Quidditch (a sport in the Wizarding world which's rules she still didn't fully understand) and so hoped he would like them and cheer him up.

They were now a month into their summer holidays and today was Harrys 12th birthday. But he wasn't happy about it at all. Not only hadn't the Dursleys remembered it (though that was quite normal), his friends hadn't written to him at all until now. Not even today had come letters from them. Harry was disappointed and sad and Willow deeply felt for him. Pondering if they both could have been blind and had misjudged the characters of his friends.

"Will..." Harry mumbled quietly as he held the soft leather gloves in his hands. He was touched. At breakfast he had been convinced this would be one of the worst days of his life. The Dursleys and his friends seemed to have forgotten his birthday and this evening he and Willow would have to be as silent as possible and pretend that they didn't exist while their family got a visit from someone important for Uncle Vernons work and dined like kings.

But Willow... his little sister hadn't forgotten him. She had used her new talent and made him something as a present he could use for his beloved sport, Quidditch. A sport that he knew by now she had little interest in. He looked up at her, wanting to thank her from the bottom of his heart, when he spotted something in the hedge behind her. Two giant, green eyes were looking at them.

Harry jumped to his feet, startling Willow. "Harry?" She asked confused, cocking her head. Still he was looking at the hedge and the eyes in it. He wished that he had his wand with him in case that whatever creature was currently staring at them would attack. But Uncle Vernon had locked it into the cupboard under the stairs, along with his other school stuff and broom. With a questioning gaze Willow slowly turned around to see what her brother was staring at, but the moment she did the eyes vanished and Harry blinked. Had he just imagined it?

"I know what day it is ~" a voice sang and their cousin Dudley, who was quite overweight, came waddling towards them. "What?" Harry asked absentmindedly, still staring at the hedge. What was he staring at? "I know what day it is." Dudley repeated, coming right up to them, and Willow mentally prepared herself. Dudley initiating a conversation could only mean one thing - he was looking for a fight. And she had to somehow limit the damage. Harry was in a bad mood already anyway and could, if prompted, explode at any moment... and then they would have nothing but trouble. And as if on cue, her brother reacted to the bait.

"Well done," he said with a sarcastic voice. "So you've finally learned the days of the week." Willow winced. That couldn't be good. "Today's your _birthday," _their cousin sneered and Willow made a small step towards Dudley. "How come you haven't got any cards? Haven't you got friends at that freak place?" Willow held her hands up. "Please, Dudley, could you not-",

"Better not let your mum hear you talking about my school." Her brother coolly interrupted her attempts of peacemaking. Dudley hitched up his trousers and glared at Harry. Then his gaze switched to the hedge the boy was _still _staring at. "Why're you staring at the hedge?" He asked suspiciously. Willow saw the tiny, evil grin emerge on Harrys face and fear rose inside her.

"I'm trying to decide what would be the best spell to set it on fire"

"_Harry"_ she hissed. Of course, she knew this wasn't true. Not only was her brother not someone to maliciously damage things, she also knew that he wasn't allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts. He didn't have his wand with him anyway, as their uncle had locked it away in the cupboard under the stairs - their old room. But their family didn't know this, a fact that had led them to be treated a little bit better this summer, as the Dursleys were afraid of Harry. Still. _Why did he always have to provoke them? _

Dudley stumbled backwards at once, a panicked look on his face. "You c-can't" he stuttered while doing so. "Dad told you you're not to do m-magic. He said he'll chuck you out of the house - you and your sister _both _\- and you haven't got anywhere else to go! You haven't got any _friends _to take you-" "Dudley!" Willow tried to interrupt him. "Of course, that was just a -" But her brother just wouldn't let her. "_Jiggery pokery!" _He said in a loud, fierce voice and jiggling his fingers at the hedge. "_Hocus pocus... squiggly wiggly..." _

"MUUUUUUUM!" Howled Dudley, tripping over his feet as he dashed back towards the house and Willow heaved a deep sight. "MUUUUUM! He's doing you know what!"

"Are you happy know?" She asked Harry who finally looked away from the hedge. "You know that they will make us pay dearly for your three seconds of fun and satisfaction from scaring Dudley. Was that really necessary on your birthday?" Well, for a tiny second he _did _feel bad. Because he knew his sister had to suffer with him, even though it had been all his doing. But the opportunity just had been too good to let it pass. "And what were you staring so intently at?"

Harry just wanted to tell his sister about the creepy eyes staring at him from the hedge, when Petunia appeared in the back door that led to the garden. Harry took an aggressive stance and Willow took a tiny step towards her brother, trying to swallow down her fear and wishing she had tried harder to stop that argument from happening. "Inside. _Now."_ Their aunt commanded in a steely voice.

And pay for it they did. Although it was clear as the day that Harry hadn't really done any magic, they were punished severely. They had both been given hard slaps on their hands and then had to work. While Harry had to work outside - cleaning windows, washing Uncle Vernons car, mowing the lawn, taking care of the flowers and repainting the garden bench - Willow had to help their aunt clean the house and cook the grandiose dinner for the guests coming this evening. She felt saliva gathering in her mouth as she decorated the huge bowl of pudding with whipped cream and sugared violets, a treat they would never get to taste. Neither of them had been allowed to eat or even _drink _since their incident with Dudley this morning.

Finally, half an hour before their guests where supposed to come, Petunia let them stop and have their own dinner - a sad meal of two slices of dry bread with cheese and a glass of water for each of them. After hurriedly eating it they were then ushered upstairs, Uncle Vernons warning of

"Remember kids - one sound..." ringing after them. _And there will be hell to pay _Willow mentally finished his sentence. He had only said that every day since this dinner had been planned.

Harry decided he needed to make a quick trip to the bathroom before "_pretending to not exist"_, so she entered their room first and honestly just wanted to lie down on the bed and sleep for at least two days. This day had been exhausting. There was only one problem - someone... or _something... _was already sitting on it.

And then everything went down the drain.

—

Willow stared emotionless into the small bowl containing ice cold canned soup. Her stomach growled, but seeing this disgusting looking liquid with chunks of who knew what sloshing around spoiled whatever appetite she still had left. _Why... how did it come to this?_

Everything had started with this creature... a house elf. Dobby, it said, was his name. It had suddenly appeared in their room, talking about how Harry, and with that _Willow, _couldn't return to Hogwarts. Because, apparently, something dangerous was waiting there for Harry. It couldn't say _what - _just that it was dangerous and so they both should, under no circumstances, go to the school. It had went even so far as to stop any letters coming their way.

_Yes, _people had written to them all summer long. Harrys friends hadn't forgotten him and there were even a couple of letters for Willow. But Dobby had prevented this letters from reaching them to make them think there was no one caring for them at Hogwarts. Then he had tried to make them promise, in order to get their letters back, to not go to Hogwarts this year - but they just couldn't. Hogwarts was their only escape from the Dursleys. Dobby had then, as they were leaving him "no choice", kinda... _teleported?..._ downstairs and had used magic to make the huge bowl of pudding Willow had decorated this afternoon float and then let it drop with a big bang.

Pudding had splattered _everywhere _in the kitchen and Willow, who had been told by her brother to wait upstairs, had hurried down the stairs. She could have laughed if she hadn't been so horrified by seeing Harry covered from head to toe in the pudding. Silently the siblings had then began their cleaning and at first it seemed like everything would still go more or less well - Uncle Vernon had managed to gloss the incident over and Aunt Petunia had dug out some ice cream for dessert. But then the owl had come.

The ministry of magic was giving Harry a warning for supposedly using magic outside of Hogwarts. The Dursleys guests promptly left - the woman running and screaming - and now they knew that Harry wasn't allowed to use magic. This had resulted in the beating of their lifetime and then they were locked up in their room. Uncle Vernon himself had put bars on the window and fitted a cat-flap on the door the very next day. Now they were allowed to leave their room only twice a day - at morning and at evening - to use the bathroom. Otherwise they were locked into their room, a bit of food and two glasses of water being pushed three times a day through the flap.

Willow sighed, putting the untouched bowl of soup on the nightstand and laid back down on the bed, her face to the wall. She just wanted to sleep.

Harry watched his sister lie down, concern in his gaze. He walked over and lightly touched her shoulder. "Will... are you not eating?" She hadn't eaten anything since they had been locked up, which had been a couple of days ago. Instead, she was constantly sleeping. This new behavior terrified Harry. It was as if she didn't have energy for anything anymore... as if she had given up. Willow shook her head and for a short moment he could see her swollen cheek and black eye.

Uncle Vernon had held true to his word. He had beaten them up mercilessly after the ruined dinner. He seldom beat them, he rather outright ignored them and pretended that they didn't exist and you had to do something he deemed really bad to react this way. But when he did he was just as bad as his wife. Harry, with his quick reflexes, had managed to at least protect his face. His body was sore and he had bruises all over, but at least his face was okay. Willow hadn't been so lucky.

He softly caressed her hair. "Willow... _please. _Eat something." Already he could see that she had lost some weight... and she had been nothing but skin and bones before as well. He took the bowl, his stomach growling at the sight of the soup, and held it out for her. She just looked at it and then turned her head back to the wall. "I'm not hungry." She said quietly. "Eat it yourself or give it Hedwig." He looked at the bowl and then slowly walked over to Hedwigs cage, hearing Willow mutter softly "Who cares if I eat? At this rate were going to starve sooner or later anyway."

Harry, shocked, looked at her back. But there was nothing he could say. Because this was a fear he had as well.

—

Willow woke with a start and pressed her hands on her mouth, trying to hold in the scream threatening to come out of it. Tears gathered in her eyes as she laid there, remembering the terrible, _terrible _dream she just had. She and Harry had been nothing but skeletons, starved to death, locked up and forgotten forever in this very room. The Dursleys living outside as if nothing had ever happened. As if they had never existed in the first place.

Her breathing was labored, but slowly she felt herself calm down enough to take her hands away from her mouth, sure now that she wouldn't scream and she sat up. It was dark and her brother laid sleeping in the cot next to her bed. The clock showed that it was almost four in the morning. With trembling legs she got up as silently as possible. She couldn't sleep, couldn't lie anymore. Because she was terrified of falling asleep and having the same nightmare again.

She tiptoed over to the desk and sat on the stool, lying her head down on her arms and faced the window. It was open and the light breeze coming through the bars caressed her sweaty and hurting face, calming her down even more. Hedwig hooted softly. The moon was shining, but the stars were already fading slowly and she could see a silver lining at the horizon. Soon the night would end and another day would begin. Another day in their prison. She swallowed.

The dream had felt _so real. _And she didn't know how to escape what she had seen in it. They had no way of getting out. The door was tightly locked and when they were let out to go to the bathroom Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia didn't let them out of their sight until they were back in their room. The window had bars in front of it and Harry couldn't use magic because then he would be expelled from Hogwarts. But then again, who would care about him getting expelled if he couldn't go anyway?

She felt terrible for thinking that, but it was true. No matter what they did they would lose. She couldn't even tell Mrs Figg because she didn't know how. Willow felt utterly hopeless and tried to blink away the tears threatening to come again, trying to focus on something outside to distract herself. And that made her notice something. _Was there a star coming nearer? _

Slowly she got up and took the remaining step to the window. Yeah, a star... a light?... was definitely coming nearer. And now she noticed a faint noise. _Car _noise. It came nearer and nearer and now she was sure that it was the light of the headlights on a car coming nearer. A flying car. She had to be dreaming. She lightly touched her swollen cheek. It still hurt very much. Then this wasn't a dream? But how?

A turquoise car flew over and parked right before the window, hovering in the air. And staring at her through the window were - "Ron?! George, Fred!" The boys looked at her, their smiles fading.

"Blimey, Willow. What happened to you?" Fred asked flabbergasted.

The boys were shocked. The tiny girl looked like she had been used as a punching bag. She had a black eye, a swollen cheek and several bruises on her arms - and this was only what they could see in the faint moonlight. And at this moment they all knew that, no matter what, Harry and Willow were coming with them.

—

Willow lightly shook Harrys shoulder. "Hm... stop it." He groaned. But she did it again. He lightly tried to slap her hand away, muttering "Leave me alone... cut it out..." And again, more forcefully this time. He groaned and snapped his eyes open. "Will, I'm trying to - " "_Harry."_ She interrupted him, an exciting expression on her face he hadn't seen her make in days. "Harry," she whispered again. "The Weasleys are here to get us out!" She pointed at the window. Harry frowned. That was impossible. Even if they did could come, they didn't know he and his sister were locked up and in need of help. Slowly turning around he wondered if Willow was still dreaming. Or maybe he was, his brain trying to make this whole situation mor beara- "_Ron!"_

As a matter of fact, the face of his best friend Ron Weasley was looking at him through the bars of the window. And he saw Fred and George sitting in the front seats... of a car? "What... how..?"

"Stop gibbering." Said Ron. "We've come to take you home with us." Harry frowned. "But how? You can't use magic and as you see we can't exactly just march out of this house." Ron grinned and jerked his head towards the front seats. "We don't need to. You forget who I've got with me." Freds face appeared, throwing him the end of a rope. "If the Dursleys wake up we're dead." Harry whispered as he tied the rope tightly around a bar and Fred revved up the car. "Don't worry," Fred tried to reassure, "and stand back."

Harry moved back into the shadows next to Hedwigs cage, who seemed to have realized how important this was and so, for once, kept still and silent. Willow moved back to the door, pressing her ear to it. When she heard nothing she nodded to the Weasleys. The car revved louder and louder and suddenly, with a crunching noise, the bars were pulled clean out of the window as they drove straight up in the air. Harry ran back to the window and for a moment and watched the bars dangle a few feet above the ground. Willow, listening intently, could hear a hitch in Uncle Vernons snoring, then everything was back to normal. She breathed out and turned around, whispering "I think they're still sleeping."

Panting, Ron hoisted the bars into the car and then Fred reversed the car as closely as possible back to the window. "Get in." Ron said. "But all my Hogwarts stuff..." Harry complaint, "And our clothes!" Willow chipped in, already moving to the closet. "Where is your stuff?" Ron asked Harry. "Locked in the cupboard under the stairs and I can't get out of this room - "

"No Problem," said George from the front passenger seat. "Out of the way, Harry." The twins climbed carefully through the window into their room and George whipped out a hairpin, making quick work of the lock. "A lot of wizards think it's a waste of time knowing this sort of Muggle trick," Fred explained, grinning smugly, "but we feel they're skills worth learning, even if they're a bit slow."

There was a small click and the door swung open. "So -" George whispered, "we'll get Harrys stuff and you grab anything you need from your room and hand it out to Ron." "Already on it!" Willow whispered back, stuffing T-Shirts into an old and battered looking duffel bag. "Watch out for the bottom stair, it creaks." Harry warned the twins. "And there is a - you know what, I just come with you, that's faster."

For a while Willow went around the room, collecting all her and her brothers things, and handed them over to Ron one after one, trying to be as silent as possible. The boys came in, just as she had finished, heaving Harrys trunk with great effort. Willow climbed into the car with Ron's help and together they got the trunk into the car - her and Ron pulling, the other three pushing. Then the twins got into the car and Harry wanted to follow, but his sister stopped him. "Harry! Hedwig!" She pointed at the cage. She hadn't yet put it into the car because Hedwig didn't like anyone carrying her but Harry. But, for whatever reason, this was the moment the owl had decided to let out a loud, drawn-out screech.

It took only a second for them to hear Uncle Vernons voice. "THAT RUDDY OWL!" The kids looked at each other in fear and Harry dashed over to Hedwig, took the cage, dashed back to the car and handed it over to Ron and his sister. Harry was just about to climb into the car himself when the door suddenly crashed open, their Uncles burley silhouette standing in its frame. For a second he stood there seemingly frozen, then he let out a bellow like an angry bull and dived at Harry, grabbing him by the ankle. Ron and Willow immediately grabbed Harry's arms, pulling at him with all their might, trying to prevent Vernon pulling him back again.

"Petunia!" He roared. "They're getting away! THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!" He pulled harder and Willow felt a rush of fear. What would happen if the Dursleys got him back? This couldn't end well. It just couldn't. "NO!" She screamed in desperation. "Let him go! Let him GO!" Suddenly the window frame was exploding out of the wall, Uncle Vernon letting go of Harry's ankle and falling outside.

The car made a jump forward and Ron and Willow hurriedly pulled in Harry. Fred wanted to get them away as fast as possible but Willow yelled for him to stop. She fearfully looked out of the still open car door, down at front yard. She wanted to get away from the Dursleys, but she didn't want Uncle Vernon to get seriously hurt because of it. He didn't seem too bad - he had landed in a bush. "AH! VERNON!" Petunia, who was standing with a dumbfounded Dudley at the hole the window had been in a moment before, screeched.

Vernon opened his eyes and Willow let out a breath. "Okay, he is still alive." She announced and then, when she saw him trying to get out of the bush "Aaand he can still move his body." She pulled back, hurriedly closed the door and Ron yelled "Put your foot down, Fred!" He didn't need to be told twice and put down his foot on the accelerator. The car shot away. "See you next summer!" Harry yelled at the house that got smaller the farther they went.

And so the Potter siblings, with the help of the Weasley brothers, finally escaped their own, personal prison - together this time.

* * *

AN: Well guys, sorry this took so long. Half a year, I think? But after releasing the last chapter I finally got myself a PS4 with some games and then, obviously, got sidetracked. Mostly with Persona 5 Royal, haha. Speaking of, have you seen the trailer for Hogwarts Legacy? I'm so excited! I can't wait to make my own character and then explore the castle, Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. Or at least I hope you can, but the developers did say it will have an open world.

By the way, I recently watched The Umbrella Academy and because I liked the show so much, started a new FF about it. Check it out if you're interested! Also, I'm starting university in October and don't know, yet, how regularly I will be able to upload new stuff then. Don't worry if you don't hear from me in a while, that doesn't mean I gave up. I probably just don't have time to write. Thank you for being patient with me.

PS: this chapter was a nightmare to upload today, because for some reason, the site just didn't want to do what I wanted. Was I the only one with his problem? Lol

XOXO Lulu


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